Improving Low Voltage Distribution Line Carrier Communication Systems for Transferring Data by Applying Efficient Modulation Techniques

Distribution Line Communications technology allows the usage of electrical power supply networks for communications purposes and, today, also broadband communication services. The main idea behind DLC is the reduction in operational costs and expenditure for realization of new telecommunications networks. Using electrical supply networks for telecommunications has also been known since the beginning of the twentieth century. Thus high-, mediumand low-voltage supply networks have been used for internal communications of electrical utilities and for the realization of remote measuring and control tasks. Generally, we can divide DLC systems into two groups: narrowband DLC allowing communications services with relatively low data rates (up to 100 kbps) and ensuring realization of various automation and control applications as well as a few voice channels, and broadband DLC systems allowing data rates beyond 2Mbps and, accordingly, realization of a number of typical telecommunications services in parallel, such as telephony and internet access. This paper discusses the various methods of modulation techniques for application of distribution line carrier (DLC) systems on medium voltage lines for the purpose of energy management and system control. Depending on the attenuation the range of the technology is up to several kilometers.